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Getting bees out of a fallen tree without cutting it apart

A friend let me know about a bee hive that was discovered when they were having an ash tree down. I went to take a look at it today. The section of the trunk the hive is in is to large for me to move. I don't have a way to cut it into a smaller piece and the homeowner didn't seem very thrilled at that idea anyway.

Is there another way to lure these bees out of there? I'm assuming they are distressed and would be looking for a new home? If I place a hive body or a swarm trap near the tree is there any chance they would move on their own?

Re: Getting bees out of a fallen tree without cutting it apart

if it was the tree that smashed to the ground by being cut there is a lot of damage inside.
it's to late in the year to do anything, but do try to set the log upright like it used to stand.
they may be able to overwinter that way if damages weren't to bad.

Re: Getting bees out of a fallen tree without cutting it apart

In my experience 90% of fallen trees have collapsed comb. If the bees are still there After 24-48 hrs the queen is dead and all the brood is ruined beyond the point where the bees can start q cells. If the queen survived they'll abscond in 24-48 hrs once they get reorganized and the cells are all sideways.

Re: Getting bees out of a fallen tree without cutting it apart

DLMKA... That has not been my experience with fallen trees.

For many many years, Ronnie Stinson, of Stinson Logging, and 3 or 4 other loggers in this area, would call me any time they cut a tree and it had bees in it. I would cut above where I thought the bees were located, then they would load the bee log on my trailer. Then they would cut above and normally get a log or two.

Back at one of the bee yards I would use the tractor to set the log back upright. Later that year, or the next, I would either trap the bees out, or place a deep hive body on top and let the bees move up. Normally get 2 or 3 nucs from each of the logs each year.

Of all the logs they gave me, and I transported, I only recall one that absconded. Occasionally one would die over the Winter, but not a very large percentage.

I wonder if you were talking about trees that naturally fell on their own. Because, I remember about 2002 when a tornado hit Grayson County, they called and I got 5 trees that the tornado blew over. All of them survived.

Re: Getting bees out of a fallen tree without cutting it apart

I'm talking about trees that have fallen in storms or cut and the hive was discovered after the tree fell. If a tree service can carefully lower the section with the hive laying it on it's side for a trip to the bee yard where it gets set back upright is fine. Hives that fall any significant distance suffer massive comb collapse especially if loaded with honey.

Re: Getting bees out of a fallen tree without cutting it apart

Understand. However, Ronnie just cuts the tree, let it fall, then I cut above where I think the hollow section is, (because Ronnie is afraid of bees), I don't normally find so much damage that they don't repair as soon as I get them back to the bee yard.

Maybe difference in area, maybe difference in type of trees the bees are in, but, I just don't find this to be a problem.

Re: Getting bees out of a fallen tree without cutting it apart

I've cut 5 trees this summer and all had collapsed come to some degree. 3 were total loss recovery jobs just to get the bees gone. One absconded but we were fortunate in that I spotted the swarm and we were able to capture. The other still appears to be thriving in my bee yard but I was able to get that back upright within hours of it falling.

Re: Getting bees out of a fallen tree without cutting it apart

I think, #1; the kind of tree makes a difference. As a young man, I used to fall big timber, and of course a lot of small stuff as well. Some types of trees fall hard because they have small wispy branches on a heavy tree; like larch and fir. Trees with medium branches provide a bit of cushion and may be more forgiving on the trunk, whereas, trees with very large branches and double trunks, etc, jar fairly hard due to the rigidity of the branches.

#2; the surrounding growth also makes a difference. Lots of other trees and bushes provide a softer and more forgiving landing, whereas open falls build up more speed before impact. There are a lot of variables to a hive being intact or not. There is usually some sort of jostling of comb, but I have found that bees are pretty resourceful when they choose to be. I think I would say that absconding hives were about 40%.

If they abscond, chances are they won't survive anyway. So, try trapping them out, find a way to cut into it, or stand it up and wait until spring. If you get them out, you'll have to feed them hard all winter, and your chances are not good. However, anything is possible. Why is the guy not happy about cutting it into smaller pieces? Doesn't he want it cleaned up? Someone has to have a saw you can use; surely.

Re: Getting bees out of a fallen tree without cutting it apart

Bee Whisperer... DLMKA... I agree.. And it is always worth a try to save the bees.

The trees I got over the years were mostly, oak (red and white), poplar, and walnut. They were cut because the loggers wanted a log and did not know they contained bees until the log fell and the bees started coming out. Most of the time they could still get a log or two above the bees. (side note, varroa really hurt the feral bee population from about 1995 until 2004, but now, feral bees are coming back).

If a tree is so hollow that it splits or shatters on impact, I would recommend going on and cutting it up, remove any good brood comb and attach to frames and place in a hive, clean up all the other brood comb and honey comb and remove from the area. Leave your hive in place for a couple of days. Like DLMKA said, here will be lots of bees that are drenched in honey, but, the other bees will clean them up. After a couple of days, take your hive home.